This invention relates to combination hatch covers for railway cars.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,363 assigned to the same assignee as the present application, and hereby incorporated into the present application by this reference, a combination hatch cover is provided in a railway car roof in which a large hatch cover extends longitudinally of the longitudinal axis of the car. A small cover is mounted upon the large cover. The large cover has its own separately operable latch and is movable relative to the roof between open and closed positions. The small cover has its own separately operable latch, whereby the small cover can be opened and closed independently of the large cover. In one embodiment in U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,363 the small cover latch is located on the same side of the large cover and the large cover latch.
The latch for the small cover in the above mentioned patent application, includes an overcenter locking arrangement having an outwardly extending locking handle adapted to be stepped on by the operator to hold the small cover in closed position. However, it has been found that when the large cover is moved from closed to open position and is pivoted 180.degree. about its hinge, the impact which occurs when the larger cover strikes the roof jars the small cover and the small cover latch is moved from its overcenter position to an open position. Having the small cover in open position when the large cover is also in open position is awkward for the operator on the car roof, and presents a safety hazard.